Rotational spectra of gauche perfluoro-n-butane, C4F10; perfluoro-iso-butane, (CF3)3CF; and tris(trifluoromethyl)methane, (CF3)3CH

Abstract The microwave spectra of the gauche conformer of perfluoro- n -butane, n -C 4 F 10 , of perfluoro- iso -butane, (CF 3 ) 3 CF, and of tris(trifluoromethyl)methane, (CF 3 ) 3 CH, have been observed and assigned. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants for gauche n -C 4 F 10 are: A  = 1058.11750(7) MHz, B  = 617.6832(1) MHz, C  = 552.18794(1) MHz, Δ J  = 0.0257(5) kHz, δ J  = 0.0052(3) kHz. A C–C–C–C dihedral angle, ω , of ∼55° has been determined. These values agree well with those obtained from a coupled cluster (CCSD/cc-PVTZ) calculation. The rotational and centrifugal distortion constants for iso -C 4 F 10 and iso -C 4 HF 9 are: B o  = 816.4519(4) MHz, D J  = 0.023(2) …